Games of Yore arcade project

[Dreamwriter]

I've been lurking here for a couple weeks, getting things ready, and I can finally unveil my project: Games of Yore!  It's going to have a two-control-panel design, with the secondary one in a sort-of drawer underneath the main CP; pull it out, lock it in place to use, then push it back to use the main CP again.

Here's the prototype system:


In the end it is going to be a full-size "sit-down" style arcade system, like a lot of Japanese cabs.

More pics and info on the official website, http://www.meeds.net/arcade.html

[Crafty]

Welcome..

Keep the pictures coming...

[Havok]

Great start. But, what does that hand do on your office desk?

[Dreamwriter]

Heh - nothing, it's just a hand   It's actually a Nintendo DS hand - it represents Nintendo's "Touching is Good" campaign, for a while Nintendo would send them to anyone who signed up on their website.

Anyways, here's Proto-Prototype #2 for the secondary control panel.  Note that the three buttons over the trackball were originally designed to be to the left of the trackball, but my box wasn't long enough.  I do like the smaller panel, though, so I'll see how that layout feels (which is the whole point behind prototypes).

[escher]

The buttons on the main panel seem REALLY far apart.  Have you played a game of SFII (or any other 6-button games) to see how it feels?

Maybe it's just me, but I've always preferred the buttons to be pretty darn close together.

[Dreamwriter]

They work fine for me, but it is just a prototype CP - it's not like we drew a grid on the board and made exact measurements, we just tried to space them about 1.5 inches apart from each other.

I just ordered some more parts for the system - the coin door/mechanism and a bunch of nickel 2006 BYOC tokens.  I dunno why, but it just seems cool using real tokens to start the games.  I'm not even going to wire up a cheat button, people will be *required* to put tokens in for that authentic arcade experience

[Dreamwriter]

Updates are coming fast and furious now that I'm really working on the thing   Check out my prototype cabinet! 




Well, OK, it almost looks like the Junkade, but check out the secondary control panel drawer - it's currently extended but can be pushed back into the system.  And that seems to be the perfect height for it, assuming I go with a stand-up cabinet (I was thinking of making it a sit-down cab).

[leapinlew]

As for the buttons. I think it's supposed to be 1.5" apart from center to center. Is that right?

Other than that - it's looking promising. Keep the updates coming.

[Dreamwriter]

Based on my prototype, here's my proposed design (rendered in Microsoft Paint!)



There is a secret feature I'm researching, I think will actually be a new idea for arcade cabs, so stay tuned... hint: more than meets the eye!

[Havok]

Transformers?

[leapinlew]

Transformers?

I bet your right. It's a robot in disguise.

I have a couple suggestions for you to reject if you haven't thought of them already --

Space the joysticks differently and give them a few buttons so you can play 4 player games like: Simpsons, TMNT, and X-men.

Make players 3 and 4 joystick button tops so you can play the few tank games that are out there.


I'm liking what I see - keep the design ideas coming, documenting your thoughts, posting pics and most importantly - keep your feet on the ground and keep reaching for the stars.

[johnperkins21]

Dude, that secondary control panel idea is a good one.  If you came up with it,  if you "borrowed" it.

[Dreamwriter]

Space the joysticks differently and give them a few buttons so you can play 4 player games like: Simpsons, TMNT, and X-men.

Make players 3 and 4 joystick button tops so you can play the few tank games that are out there.

Yeah, I considered that, but it would make the CP larger, and I'm trying to keep it as small as possible (which is why the second CP is separate and I didn't just stick the trackball/spinner in between the 2 players).  And I don't see there being hardly any call to play 4 player games on the thing - 2 players, sure, but not 4.  As for the buttons on the second joystick for each player, I considered that too, but I'm trying to build this on a budget   Those second joysticks are ripped from my old X-Arcade dual.  Games like Tron I'll just have to reach down and press a button to shoot when using two other controls.

As for the secondary control panel idea, my first thought was to have it be raised up and behind the main CP - I saw that on another cab - but decided it wasn't as comfortable as using a control right at the edge.  I technically borrwed the final idea from keyboards - many homebrew cabs have a keyboard shelf under the CP that slides out, I'm just replacing the keyboard shelf with a control panel.

[Crafty]

I technically borrwed the final idea from keyboards - many homebrew cabs have a keyboard shelf under the CP that slides out, I'm just replacing the keyboard shelf with a control panel.

Sounds like a good idea, I will be interested to see the outcome..

Keep up the posts and photos..

[Dreamwriter]

Time for another update!  Not a lot has changed with the prototype system, but it now runs on quarters!


Of course when the tokens arrive I'll set it up for those instead.  I've been working with the final design quite a bit this week, and I now have a pretty good idea of what it'll look like - which is mostly not like my previous render   It's not going to be huge - it's gonna be more like a Cabaret - you know, a smallish arcade machine that's still an upright.  I figure it'll fit the LCD screen better (no need for a huge cabinet with that thin/light LCD), it'll be lighter and easier to move around, plus that'll allow both standing play and sitting (on a tall chair) without barstools. 

Oh, and that brings up the "secret feature" I previously mentioned...it ain't gonna happen, because I don't wanna spend the money on it, so here it is: hydraulic legs that would let you raise and lower the entire cabinet, so it can transform from a sit-down system with a nice comfy chair to a full stand-up system, with the screen always at eye level (it could even be raised/lowered for super tall or super small players).  I really wanted to go with that, but it was too pricey for my budget, even for a crank-powered setup rather than electrical.

EDIT:
Here's the new design (ignore the colors, especially the Marquee), created with Google Sketchup.

[TOK]

Are you going to anchor it to a wall or something? It looks like maybe it'd be prone to falling over.

Edit to add... I was thinking about your project after my original post, and about how you wanted height adjustment. Combined with the wall mount issue, it made me wonder if you could mount your cabinet on some type of locking track that'd let you slide it up or down a few inches to adjust the height, then lock it.

[Kangum]

i agree with TOK.  If someone leans on it or even stresses on thier arms from crazy gameplay and the entire cab looks like it will come forward and smoosh you.

The marquee also looks like it leans the wrong way pointing up toward the cieling.

if you need to have a cab less bulky and more lightweight and slim may I suggest to make like a lowboy cab. the lcd angle should still be ok since its not face up like a coctail. its still upright. also since its a lcd the depth of the cab would be entirely dependent on the angle of the lcd and panel. Since the lcd is so flat there is nothing hanging down inside to block your idea of a pull out spinner draw. Heck they both could side in and you could even have buttons next to the lcd to act like a jukebox. poof pull out a draw now its an arcade.

it would be alot sturdy thats for sure. it will be a interesting project to see completed no matter what you decide. i do like the draw idea.

[Dreamwriter]

The Marquee is angled upwards, you are right, but also realize how short this thing is - I don't remember the exact height (I don't have my Sketchup file here), but it's around 5 feet tall to the top of the monitor, probably a little bit taller.  No need to angle the Marquee out, that would actually make it harder to see (except for short people )  And I did think of the balance, the bottom plate is probably going to have a weight in it or be made of heavy metal itself, at least as heavy as the monitor and wood of the top piece (which the monitor, being LCD, isn't really that heavy anyways).  And it is designed to be put up against a wall, though not attached to the wall or anything.  The system also shouldn't be heavy enough to smoosh anyone   One of the reasons I'm designing it this thin is I want it small and light, easy to move around and fit in a 550 sq ft apartment should I move into one (I almost did 2 years ago).

[BlinKY1337]

(rendered in Microsoft Paint!) haha 

And the second control pannel idea is a good one but how much better if it was hiddedn and slid out like a drawer

[johnperkins21]

(rendered in Microsoft Paint!) haha 

And the second control pannel idea is a good one but how much better if it was hiddedn and slid out like a drawer

I believe his plan is to have it slide out. If you look up at the photo where it's made out of cardboard, you see that it's set up to slide back in with a couple of cut-outs for the controllers.

[BlinKY1337]

I think your right its a good idea

[Dreamwriter]

What's this new picture you see before you? Prototype Cabinet 1.5! It'll be 2.0 once I add controls, monitor (no, that's not the actual monitor you see there, but an artist's rendering).  This is a lot closer to the newest design, so I can test the actual ergonomics of it.  Now I just have to figure out how to get the cardboard monitor shelf to support my 19 pound monitor...


BTW, for those interested in specs, it's 3 feet up to the monitor shelf / rear edge of CP, 2'10 to the front edge of the CP (so a 2 inch drop), and the thing is 2.5 feet wide and 1 foot deep at the bottom (this prototype is actually a bit deeper in places, because my boxes were all 18x12x12").

[arzoo]

Which rev of Moon Patrol are you running there?   

[BlinKY1337]

 

[arcadefever]

all this boxes remind me of this project :

http://www.ugiansky.com/trashcade/

 

just kidding 

the design is unusual and very interesting

good luck for the rest of your project 

[Crafty]

Reminds me of an old saying
"The 7 P"s"

Prior Preparation and Planning Prevents Piss Poor Performance

[BlinKY1337]

thrashcade WOW

[leapinlew]

hydraulic legs that would let you raise and lower the entire cabinet, so it can transform from a sit-down system with a nice comfy chair to a full stand-up system, with the screen always at eye level (it could even be raised/lowered for super tall or super small players).

Ha! You could've put some neon lights under it and had it bouncing around like a hydraulic Impala.

I looked into hydraulics for my LCD tv. I was going to put it in a chest and have it rise out of it. The damn thing was more than the TV. You could skip the hydraulics perhaps. Try electric - or try building your own.

http://www.tvliftkit.com/